Dispensing container



A ril 18, 1939. w. w. DUNNELL 2,155,084

DISPENS ING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 28, 1958 Inventor; 1 Warren Hfflunnell,

A ttorn ey.

Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,155,084 DISPENSING committee Warren W. Dunnell, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 28, 1938, Serial No. 193,048

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to dispensing containers for supplying severable rolled sheet-form products, one at a time. Included in the principal objects of the invention are: first, to provide an improved device for the purpose indicated, wherein the contents are almost entirely enclosed, and protected against handling and contamination; second, to afford better facilities for replacement of rolled products in containers of this kind; third, to supply a. container of the nature stated, which possesses an unusually compact and pleasing appearance; and, fourth, to accomplish these things by means of a simple and relatively inexpensive construction.

For the purposes of this disclosure, I have selected an embodiment of the invention which is especially adapted for containing and dispensing tissue paper toilet-seat covers, of the type shown in Fig. 4 of my U. S. Patent No. 2,025,941. The embodiment is equally well adapted, however, to dispense severable rolled paper towels, and similar products.

My objects have been attained in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device as it appears installed and ready for service;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the container in its open position ready for receiving a new roll of sheet products, and indicates the manner in which said roll is positioned; and

Figure 4 is a cross-section of the container when in the position shown in Fig. 3, the section being taken on the plane 44 of the last said figure.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar things throughout the several figures of the draw- My container preferably is made of pressed sheet steel, completely surfaced by suitably colored enamel baked thereon. Thus made, it may easily be kept clean and sanitary.

The base of the device is in the form of a shallow open-front rectangular box 5; adapted for being mounted upon a vertical surface 6 as by the use of screw-holes at 1. Lower lip B of the base is unattached to ends 9 at the corners, Where these portions come into contact. Therefore the resiliency of lip 8 may be, and is, utilized in frictionally engaging certain portions of the cover of the container, to assist in holding the latter closed while the contents are being dispensed. Top side ll of the base extends horizontally forward a considerable distance, for a reason which will be explained presently.

The enclosing cover of the device has a substantially semi-cylindrical front l3; a flange ll, which normally, extends tangentially,downwardly p5 and rearwardly from the front of the device, at an angle of 45 more or less, as shown in Fig. 2; a severing edge l5 at the free extremity of the flange; and end portions l6, which are adapted to frictionally fit between top side ll 10 and lower lip 8, by slightly springing the lip downwardly while entering therebetween. This arrangement provides an automatic snap catch for holding the cover closed. The normally lower edges of end portions 16 preferably are turned 16 back upon themselves, as at H, to provide a wider and non-cutting bearing surface for engaging lower lip 8.

At the center of the circular portion of righthand end l6, there is an inwardly extending trun- 20 nion pin S8. The left-hand end [6 carries an arched leaf spring l9, attached thereto, as by the rivets 2| and this spring carries an inwardly extending trunnion pin 22, oppostie and co-axial with trunnion I 8.

The cover is hinged to top-side H, at 23 and 24. In its full open position the cover will contact and rest against wall 6, as shown in Fig. 4; and it will tend to remain open in that position, because of the fact that most of its material, and consequently its center of gravity, is to the rear of the axes of hinges 23 and 24. Thus the two hands of a person who seeks to refill the container, are free for that purpose, after the device has been fully opened.

Rolled sheet products usually are supplied wound upon wooden cores. For use in my container, such cores are provided with axial end sockets adapted to receive trunnions l8 and 22. One end of such a core is first made to engage trunnion 22, as indicated by dotted lines 25. The roll and its core is then pressed to the left, to flatten spring l9, and the right-hand end of the core is made to engage trunnion I8, as indicated by dotted lines 26. Finally the roll is slightly unwound, so that its free end will hang down when the container is closed, in position for being grasped by the hands of a user, as at 21. Spring l9 exerts a considerable constant pressure against the end of the roll core; and thus functions as a frictional brake, to prevent undesired unrolling.

The roll of sheet products preferably is transversely perforated at spaced positions along its rolled length, so that the unitary products are easily severable along the perforated lines. The

character of such a severance is indicated by line 28. Corners 29, at the respective extremities of severing edge l5, are of considerable assistance in starting the severing process.

It will be noted that the weight of the rolled products and core, acting through the combined center of gravity, which is forward of the axes of hinges 23 and 24 when the device is closed, will have an additive efiect upon the weight of the cover itself in tending to normally keep the cover closed. Hence there is an advantage in mounting the roll within the cover, instead of within the box base, as is usually done in devices of this nature. It also will be apparent that my invention may be constructed in a variety of forms, without departing from the essence thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the character described, comprising: an element having, a base portion adapted for being mounted upon a vertical surface, and a flange extending horizontally forward from the top of the base portion when the latter is so mounted; a cover element hinged at the outer edge of said flange; and means for removably and rotatively mounting a roll of sheet material within the cover to swing therewith, with the axis of the roll parallel to that of the cover hinge; said hinge axis being forward of the center of gravity of the cover when the latter is fully open against said vertical surface, and rearward of the axis of a roll mounted in said cover element when the cover element is in closed position with respect to the base portion.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the base portion is provided with means for resiliently engaging the cover element, to hold the latter in closed position with respect tothe base portion.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein: the base portion is provided with a deflectable flange which extends horizontally forward from the bottom of the base portion when the latter is vertically mounted; and wherein a part of the cover element is adapted to deflect said flange when the cover is closing, and. to yieldably hold the cover in closed position by means of its engagement with said flange.

WARREN W. DUNNELL. 

